THIS is apropos of the letter ‘In defence of PIA’ (Dec 21) by Capt S. Afaq Rizvi. I support the issue the writer raised against serving alcohol in planes and would like to extend it to the entire nation.

On July 3, 1977, ZAB said alcohol would not be sold in the market due to extreme right-wing pressure. In those days the annual tax on this and horse racing was $500 million. Then the US dollar was equivalent to Rs10 and the tax on both these items was Rs500 million.

Since then bootleggers stepped in and alcohol is now available throughout the country. There is no tax on this. Had we been taxing it, then the tax would have been around one billion dollars which could have been set aside for education.

Maulana Azad was so correct in the predictions he made before Pakistan was created.

NAVAID HUSAIN    
Karachi